Engine-cooling system



Jan 6, 1931. L. P. BARLOW 1,787,562

ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 10, 1929 yaw/1011444711 1//l/////////////// Patented Jan. 6 1931 u-NiT-En stains] PATE OFFICE LESTER enAnLow, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN Y ENGINE-COOLING .sYs'rEM Application filed January n, 1929. Seria1.1\To. 331,696.

This invention relates to improvements in vaporor steam cooling systemsfor internal combustion engines of the automotive and other types.

One object of my invention is to provide means folmaintaining a predetermined liq- I uid level in the cylinder jacket of the engine by automatically starting and stopping the supply pump as the liquids in the jacket drop below andrise to said predetermined level.

Another object ofmy invention is tooperate the pump by an electric motor so that thepump will bedriven independent of the engine and thus have a set speed regardless of the speeds of the engine.

A, further object of my invention isto pro vide a. float operated switch in the motor oil'- cuit. for starting andstopping the motor as the liquids in the jacket drop below and rise to the before mentioned predetermined level.

The invention consists further in the matters hereinafter described and claimed.

. Inthe accompanying draWings Fig. l. is a viewshowingan internal combustion enginef of. the automotive type equipped with a vapor cooling system' embodying the features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is'averti'c'al sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

, Fig. 3, is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 3 -3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the operation of the make and break switch. I

In Fig. 1, 1 indicates an internal combus- 5 tion engine of the automotive type having a water jacket 2 about the cylinders 3 thereof, as in engines. of this general character. The head 4 ofthe cylinder block has an'upwardly projecting portion forming a steam dome 5 opening into the jacket and adapted to have the cooling liquid rise therein from the acket to approximately tothelevel a. p j 7 Located in front of the engine isa condenser 6, which may be made like the customary automobile radiator withits upper and lower tanks 7 8 and interposed core structurev 9,, through, which currents of air pass in the motion-of the car and by the use of a, fan 10;, as usual in automotive-equipment. A conduit 11 connects thedome5 with the upper tank of the condenser for conveying steam thereto, the steam being condensed as it passes down through the core 9 so as to be returned as condensate to the cooling system of the engine.

Disposed below thecondenser 6 is a tank or reservoir 12 of a size to contain a body ofwater as a supply and reserve for the system. The tank12 has a filling neck. 13. the cap of. which has an opening 14 for venting the tank to the atmosphere. The maximum level of the water in the tank 12 is indicated by the dotted line b, and this is below the condenser as shown. A'conduit 15' connects the lower portion of the bottom tank 8 of the condenser with the lower portion of the reservoir 12 so that the condensate may drain into the reservoir from the condenser. A pipe l6zconnects the upper portion of the lower tank of the condenser with the filling neck 13 of there'servoir so as to vent the condenser to the atmosphere through the vent opening 14 of said reservoir. In venting the condenserjinthisway, the vent opening 14 .for both the condenser and the reservoir is removed from the air currents from the fan as well." as through the "condenser. Thus there is noejection or absorption effect on the vent to remove liquids andvapors therefrom as when the vent is positioned within the influence of these air currents.

A force pump 17 is located in the reservoir 12 adjacent its bottom so that the intake of the pump will ,atall times be submerged 'in thejwater in the reservoir. A conduit 18 connects the discharge of the pump with the lower portionof the jacket 2 for supplying liquids thereto. This conduit 18"before it enters the jacket 2 extends above the level azto, be maintained in the dome 5 and thence back to the place where it enters the acket. In so arranging, the conduit, its upper portion 19 isfin the form of an inverted U with the bendorloop in-the U extending above the level a, as shown in Fig. 1.

, In the domcb. is a float 20 arranged to float on the level of theiliquids in the dome and move up and down in the rising and fall ing of said level. The float 20 has an arm 21 which is fixed to a shortrock shaft 22 j our- 2 r m'smee at its outer end a contact plug 23 suitably insulated from the arm and moved in the movement of'the float into and out of engagement with a pair of electrical contacts 2 as shown in Fig. 4. This action is accomplished by means of a coiled spring 25; connected at its upper end to an upward eX- 1 tension 26 of said arm and at its lower-end to lug 27 fixed to a stationary support such:

as the cover 28 over the switch device, causing the sprin 25 as it passes through a vertical position to eiiec't movement of the arm 23 to make and break the circuit through the contacts 2 24. To ass st the float to move the arm to break the circuit, 1 may provide a spring pressed plunger 28 which presses against the upperportion 26 of said arm.

Stops 30, 30 are provided to limit the extent of movement of the arm 23, the upper extension 26, thereof having a lug31 between the stops.

One contact. 24 1s connected by a wire 32 with one of thepolesof a storage battery 33 or other source of electric current supply,

The other polefof the battery is grounded on the crankcase of the engine by a wire'34, The other contact 2l'is connected by a wire 35 with one of the terminals of an electric motor 36,which is mounted above the reser-' voir 12, preferably on its top Wall. The other terminal of the motor is grounded to the casing of the engine by a wire 37."

The shaft 30 of the pump 17 extends upward to the 1notor36, and is suitably connected to thearmature shaft thereof so as to operate the pump. p

When first putting the cooling system into use, a switch39 in'the wire 32 is left open.

The reservoir is then. filled with water through the neck 13 to approximatelylthe level I). The switch 39 is then closedand, as there is not water at this'time in the jacket 2, the float willbe in its lowermost position and the switch plug 23 will be between the blades 24, 24 to supply current from the battery 33 to the motor 36 for operating the same. This will operate the pump 17 and cause the same to fill-the acket 2 with water from the reservoir 12. When the acket fills to the level a, the float will have been raised and broken the circuit to the motor 36. This will stop the motor and the pump and no more liquids will be supplied to the jacket to raise the water level a. When the engine warms up and boils the water inthe jacket, the water level in the dome 5 will drop slight- 1y, due to-portions of the water going ofi as steam. The fioat 20 will instantly move downward with the lowering water level and again complete the circuit to the. motor through the switch plug 23 and blades An arm 23is fixed 24l, 24- and start the motor 36 to cause the pump 17 to supply liquids to the jackets through the pipe 18, to make up for the amounts of liquids going ofi as steam. This action is repeated intermittently during the steaming operation, and thus the level a is automatically nia1nta1ned,.the amounts of water supplied to the jacket being in direct proportion to theamounts going off as steam in the jacket regardless of the speeds oi": the engine 1 or the loads thereon.

. With an electric motor 36 for driving the pump 17, the latter may be operated at a constant speed at all times without regard to the speeds of the motor,as the pump is driven independently of theengine and is not there fore subject to the varying speeds at which the engine is driven as motor vehicle operation. Furthermore, a motor of the size required to drive the'pump at a given speed in proportion to the size of the pipe 18 and reservoir 12 may be employed, and thus control the rate of supply of liquids to the jacket 2, to maintain the levela therein.

The bend 19 in the supply conduit 18 eX- tends sufiiciently above'the level a for the jacket 2 to prevent siphoning of the liquids in the jacket back to the reservoir 12. Thus the jacket 2 is not emptied of its liquid content when the pump 17 stops; I I I The details of structure and arrangement of parts may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention? 1. In avapor cool ng system for internal combustion engines, the combination with the power operated-pump for supplying cooling liquids tosaid jacket from the condenser, and means for maintaining the. cooling liquids at a predetermined level inthe jacket, said last named means acting to automatically start and stop the pump as the liquids drop below and rise to said level.

2. Ina vapor coolingsystem for internal combustion engines, the combination with a cylinder jacket, of means including a pump for supplying cooling liquids to said jacket,

an electric motor for operating said pump,

and means for maintaining the cooling liq-v uids at a predetermined leveljin thejacket, said last named means acting to automaticallystart and stop the pump, by turning on and oil the current to the motor, as the liquids drop below and rise to said level.

" 3. In a vapor cooling system for internal combustion engines,'ithe combination with a cylinder jacket, of means including a pump for supplying cooling liquidsto said jacket, an electric motor for operating said pump, and means for maintaining the cooling liquids ata predetermined level in the jacket, said last named means including a 'floatop erated electric switchdevicein the motor circuit for automatically starting and stopping the circuit to the motor for starting and stopping the pump, and a float in the dome for opening and closing the switch as the liquids in the dome drop below and rise to said level. f

5. In a vapor cooling system for internal combustion engines, the combination with the engine, its cylinder jacket and a condenser connected therewith, of a supply and reserve reservoir for the system connected with the jacket and condenser, respectively, means including an electrically actuated pump in the reservoir for supplying liquids therefrom to said jacket, and means for maintaining the cooling liquids at a predetermined level in the jacket, said means acting to automatically start and stop the pump as the liquids in the jacket drop below and rise'to said level.

6. In a vapor cooling systemfor internal combustion engines, the combination vwith a cylinder jacket, of a supply and reserve reservoir for the system, means including a pump in the reservoir for supplying liquids therefrom to the jacket, an electric motor for operating said pump, and means for maintaining a predetermined level in the jacket, said means including a float operated electric switch in the motor circuit for automatically starting and stopping the motor as the liquids in the jacket drop below and rise to said level.

7 In a vapor cooling system for internal combustion engines, the combination with g a cylinder jacket having a steam dome, of

a supply and reserve reservoir for the system, means including a pump in the reservoir forsupplying liquids therefrom to the jacket, an electric motor for operating said pump, and means for maintaining a-predetermined level in said dome, said means consistingof a switch in the motor circuit to automatically make and break the circuit to the motor for starting and stopping the same, and a float in the dome for opening and closing said switch as the liquids in the jacketdrop below and rise to said level, said conduit having its upper portion extendingabove said level beforeentering the jacket.

In tes'timonywhereof I aflix my signature. LESTER P. BARLOW.

the liquids in the dome drop below and rise to said predetermined level.

8; In a vapor cooling system for internal combustion engines, the combination with a cylinder jacket, of a pump, a conduit connecting the pump with the lower portion of the jacket for supplying liquids thereto, and means for maintaining a predetermined liquid level for the jacket, said means acting to automatically start and stop the pump 

